Iron Costume and Heritage Wear Design · 2025
Traditional Parure Jewelry Set
- A' Design Award 2025 Iron Winner in Costume and Heritage Wear Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Korzhstudio
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 12,805
- Verification code 9B8FB0F961 · Verify this award
About Traditional Parure Jewelry Set
This project revises a traditional Russian jewelry set by combining sustainable technologies with traditional craft techniques. The Russian Traditional Parure features three key elements: a Celebration Tiara, a faux amber neckpiece, and an Ojerelok neckpiece. Ekaterina researched jewelry from the Russian North to revive its crafts and history, incorporating new sustainable methods like creating faux amber from recycled glass. Additionally, she expanded design possibilities and developed a unique method for applying the cloisonne goldsmithing technique directly onto recycled glass.
Ekaterina Korzh's Traditional Parure Jewelry Set embodies the contemporary renaissance of heritage craft practices and the growing cultural valuation of traditional adornment systems as repositories of aesthetic knowledge and communal identity, situating this work within broader movements toward cultural preservation, artisanal revival, and the documentation of material culture practices that connect contemporary makers to ancestral techniques and symbolic vocabularies. The compositional achievement of the work demonstrates sophisticated understanding of how jewelry functions not merely as isolated ornament but as integrated system, with the parure concept—the matched set of complementary pieces designed to be worn together—creating visual harmony through material consistency, formal echoes, and chromatic unity while allowing sufficient variation in scale, texture, and decorative elaboration to maintain visual interest across the ensemble. The technical execution reveals mastery of multiple traditional metalworking techniques, with evidence suggesting employment of filigree work in which fine metal wires are manipulated into delicate openwork patterns, granulation in which tiny metal spheres are fused to create textured surfaces, and possibly repoussé or chasing in which metal is worked from front and back to create three-dimensional relief, all techniques requiring significant skill, patience, and knowledge of metal behavior under various forming processes. The choice of materials speaks to both aesthetic judgment and cultural authenticity, with the warm-toned metals suggesting brass, bronze, or gold alloys that develop characteristic patination over time, combined with natural materials including amber whose warm translucency and organic inclusions connect the wearer to natural processes, carnelian whose deep red tones carry centuries of symbolic associations across numerous cultures, and what appears to be malachite or similar green stone providing chromatic contrast and additional layers of cultural reference. The headdress construction represents particular technical achievement, requiring structural engineering to create a form that remains stable and comfortable during wear while presenting the desired silhouette and supporting the weight of decorative elements, combined with aesthetic refinement in the openwork patterns that create lightness despite substantial material presence and frame the face in a manner that enhances rather than overwhelms the wearer's features. The integration of the translucent veil introduces textural and visual contrast while serving functional and symbolic purposes, creating movement and ethereal quality that softens the geometric precision of the metalwork and introduces an element of mystery through partial concealment, a design choice that demonstrates understanding of how transparency and opacity can be choreographed to guide viewer attention and create visual rhythm. The photographic documentation itself merits recognition for its sensitivity to both the jewelry's material qualities and the broader cultural context, with the choice of natural outdoor setting among dried autumnal vegetation rather than clinical studio backdrop suggesting that these objects belong within lived experience and seasonal cycles rather than existing as decontextualized artifacts, while the soft natural lighting reveals the jewelry's surface qualities, dimensional modeling, and chromatic subtleties without the harsh flattening effect of direct flash or the chromatic distortion of mixed artificial sources. The work invites contemplation of how personal adornment functions as visual language, communicating identity, status, occasion, cultural affiliation, and aesthetic values through carefully orchestrated combinations of material, form, color, and symbolic reference, and suggests questions about the relationship between historical craft traditions and contemporary practice, the role of traditional jewelry in modern contexts, the ways in which wearing such pieces connects individuals to cultural continuity and ancestral knowledge, and how the revival and documentation of heritage crafts contributes to cultural resilience and the preservation of material knowledge that might otherwise be lost to industrialization and mass production, ultimately positioning the viewer as witness to both aesthetic achievement and cultural practice, invited to appreciate the formal beauty while recognizing the deeper significance of maintaining and transmitting traditional craft knowledge across generations.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The project is devoted to the recreation of conventional jewelry sets with the use of contemporary sustainable technologies and traditional craft-based techniques.
The Russian Traditional Parure consists of three major decorative elements: a Celebration Tiara, a faux amber neckpiece, and an Ojerelok neckpiece. - Dimensions & Packaging
- Celebration Tiara
Dimensions: 35 cm x 35 cm x 12 cm
Traditional Amber neckpiece
Length: 50 cm
Weight: 250 g
Ojerelok Neckpiece
Length: 150 cm - Tags
- Russian, tiaras, gold, pearl, jewelry, jewellery, historical, craft, traditional
- Production Technology
- Celebration Tiara
Medium: Cotton cord, cotton canvas, mother of pearl, silk velvet, silk canvas, vintage glass and gemstone beads, flour adhesive, vitreous enamel, freshwater pearls, goldwork wire, wool thread, brass, and fine silver.
Traditional Amber neckpiece
Medium: Recycled glass, copper, enamel inlay, and rough wool thread.
Ojerelok Neckpiece
Medium: Cotton cord, linen canvas, mother of pearl, silk velvet, silk canvas, glass, and gemstone beads. - Design Challenge
- In the project, I studied jewelry from the traditional costumes of the Russian North to address this parure with historical accuracy while applying a new contemporary approach. These techniques are time-consuming and technically challenging. Additionally, I developed a unique method for applying the cloisonne goldsmithing technique directly onto recycled glass that required me to do profound research on glass qualities and closonne techniques.
- Project Duration
- The Russian Parure took me approximately 400 hours for the development of design, embroidery work, metal work, etc. The project started in Lawrence, KS, in October of 2023 and finished in April of 2024
- Operation Flow
- This jewelry set comprises three elements: a tiara, a faux amber necklace, and a beaded neckpiece. Traditionally, it was worn by peasants in Northern Russia until the early 20th century. The set was worn by young women on their ceremony passing into the adulthood that was happening prior their wedding day.
- Research
- This project revises a traditional Russian jewelry set using modern sustainable techniques and traditional crafting methods. The Russian Traditional Parure includes three main pieces: a Celebration Tiara, a faux amber neckpiece, and an Ojerelok neckpiece. I studied jewelry from the traditional costumes of the Russian North to preserve these crafts. This project combines modern sustainable practices with traditional craft techniques.
- Inspiration
- I blend traditional hand embroidery techniques with metalwork in ornamental jewelry to illustrate my protest of the current Russian state propaganda based on fake national ideals. I do it by recalling original historical Russian craft practices and the conventional crafts I discovered through my profound research of traditional costumes and the garment history of Russia.
- Image Credits
- Ekaterina Korzh
Aaron Paden
Anastassia Rodionova
Colors of Traditional Parure Jewelry Set
Get Traditional Parure Jewelry Set
Design Interview about Traditional Parure Jewelry Set
My design is rooted in sustainability, storytelling, and identity. I often use recycled materials—such as reclaimed jewelry components or plastic bags—to give discarded items a new life. Much of my work draws on Slavic folk traditions, mythology, and personal memory to create wearable pieces that hold both narrative and ecological significance.
I focused on creating a dialogue between the past and present, merging traditional craft with contemporary concerns like environmental sustainability. I wanted the work to feel both personal and universal, inviting the wearer to reflect on cultural roots, transformation, and impermanence.
I plan to expand it into a larger collection that further explores modularity and material reuse. I’m also interested in exhibiting it in both art jewelry galleries and design contexts to bridge the gap between art and wearable design.
The concept evolved over several months, including research, experimentation, and iteration. However, the seed of the idea—upcycling old materials into meaningful jewelry—has been growing for years through various projects.
It was self-initiated, driven by a deep personal need to make sense of memory and displacement through materials. The design allowed me to channel my inspiration from folk rituals and ecological thinking into something tactile and poetic.
I produce all of my work myself, either as one-of-a-kind pieces or small editions. I value the intimacy of making and the control it gives me over materials and narrative integrity.
Jewelry, to me, is a powerful vehicle for storytelling. Its scale makes it intimate and its presence on the body allows it to act as a portable symbol—almost like a personal shrine or amulet. That’s why I’m drawn to this format for expressing identity and heritage.
I’m influenced by both historical Slavic ornaments and contemporary conceptual jewelers who explore materials in unconventional ways. I also find inspiration in folk artifacts, textile patterns, and ceremonial objects.
My ideal customer is someone who values craftsmanship, sustainability, and symbolism—someone who sees jewelry as more than adornment, but as a statement or personal talisman.
The combination of cultural storytelling, sustainable practice, and emotional depth gives my design a unique voice. Each piece carries layers of meaning—mythical, ecological, and autobiographical.
I often use poetic or folkloric titles. One of my recent series was titled "There Are More Fairies Further From Home..."—a reflection on exile, belonging, and enchantment. The name suggests both displacement and the magic of adaptation.
I use a mix of traditional metalsmithing tools, ceramic techniques, and digital sketching software. I also incorporate non-traditional materials, utilizing glass heat-fusing and mixed-media assemblage techniques.
Its hybrid nature: it exists at the intersection of fine art, folklore, and environmentalism. The use of waste materials to tell sacred or ancestral stories gives the work a haunting beauty.
While most of my work is created independently, I do occasionally consult with ceramicists and sustainable material experts, especially when scaling up or exploring new techniques.
Technology plays a minor but essential role—especially in the planning phase. I use digital sketching and sometimes CAD software for mockups, but the actual making is mostly analog and tactile.
Yes, I conducted ethnographic and visual research into Slavic paganism, as well as material research on biodegradable and recycled elements. The work is heavily influenced by cultural symbolism and mythological archetypes.
Balancing fragility with wearability was a challenge—especially when working with delicate or unconventional materials. Another challenge was ensuring that recycled elements were safe, clean, and durable enough for jewelry.
I believe the themes of my work—sustainability, cultural identity, and interdisciplinary craft—resonate globally. Submitting to an international competition felt like a natural step to share these ideas with a broader audience.
I became more attuned to the emotional resonance of materials—how even a piece of plastic can carry symbolic weight when contextualized thoughtfully. I also grew technically, learning to adapt fragile materials for functional wear.
Yes—my work is not only about making objects but about crafting experiences. I often present my jewelry within installations or as part of performative narratives. This multidisciplinary approach is central to my creative identity.
Grand Interview about Traditional Parure Jewelry Set
This technique emerged from a desire to merge two seemingly opposing forces—fragility and resilience—within a material and symbolic framework. Cloisonné, a meticulous enameling technique traditionally used on metal, represents the refinement and opulence of imperial Russian craftsmanship. Recycled glass, on the other hand, is a discarded material with no inherent value in traditional goldsmithing. The act of applying cloisonné directly onto reclaimed glass was a deliberate gesture of rebellion against conventional hierarchies of material value. Technically, it required months of trial and error to control enamel flow on uneven surfaces and to prevent thermal shock. I saw this process as a metaphor for cultural reparation: reassembling fragmented histories using overlooked or damaged elements. The result is a new visual and material language—one that honors historical craft while challenging its exclusivity and permanence.
Each piece in the parure functions as a wearable relic, evoking both reverence and resistance. In Russia, craft traditions were historically entangled with state narratives—used to project ideals of power, unity, and cultural supremacy. My reinterpretation seeks to peel back those layers. For instance, the Celebration Tiara adopts the formal geometry of Soviet festive regalia but subverts its meaning through the use of fragile materials and hand-finished imperfections. It critiques the spectacle of authoritarian aesthetics. The Ojerelok neckpiece, with its raw linen canvas and exposed stitching, references the everyday labor of peasant women, elevating their silent histories over state-manufactured icons. The faux amber piece plays with nostalgia—mimicking the prized material of Soviet elite jewelry—but made from recycled waste. These subtle disruptions embedded within traditional formats question the authenticity of national myths while reclaiming the value of vernacular, feminine, and eco-conscious voices within Russian culture.
The material choices were driven by symbolic resonance and narrative layering. Fine silver represents ceremonial formality and carries the weight of tradition—it’s the surface on which authority has often been etched. But I balanced this with modest and tactile materials like cotton cord and glass to insert a counter-narrative. Cotton cord, often used in domestic crafts, reflects labor traditionally excluded from "high" art. The contrast of softness and preciousness allowed me to question whose hands are remembered in history. Additionally, the use of paper elements, stitched textiles, and scorched or aged finishes evokes the ephemerality of memory, particularly cultural memory that has been manipulated or erased. This hybrid materiality forces a reevaluation of what we consider "valuable," both in terms of materials and narratives. The tiara becomes a microcosm of a nation in tension—ornate yet frayed, unified yet splintered.
One of the most striking discoveries was the role of pre-Christian symbolism in Northern Russian jewelry, particularly in coming-of-age and marital rites. Symbols such as the goddess Makosh or sun motifs appeared not merely as decorative elements but as talismans, deeply embedded with spiritual protection and agricultural cycles. These motifs endured even through centuries of Orthodox Christian influence and Soviet suppression. Another influential finding was that many traditional parures weren’t made with precious metals but rather with felt, leather, and copper—materials tied to everyday life and survival. This challenged the modern assumption that tradition equals opulence. It gave me permission to prioritize meaning over luxury in my material choices. Also, the performative nature of wearing these items—in rituals and public celebrations—inspired me to treat each piece as a stage for memory, rather than as an inert object.
Amber is an emotionally charged material in Eastern Europe—it represents warmth, ancestry, and economic value. However, the mining and commercialization of amber are both environmentally and politically fraught. I became fascinated by the idea of counterfeiting amber—not to deceive, but to provoke. By using recycled brown and yellow-tinted glass, I could mimic the appearance of amber while deliberately subverting its perceived value. This became a commentary on false nostalgia: what appears “authentic” may in fact be a reconstruction. The technique required developing a cold-working method to shape and polish the glass without introducing excessive heat, which might fracture its internal stress points. I also introduced internal imperfections—like trapped fibers or bubbles—to echo natural amber's organic inclusions. This process turned waste into luxury while reframing the conversation around what luxury should signify.
The most challenging moments were during the cloisonné-on-glass experiments. It’s an unstable marriage—glass and enamel expand at different rates, and I lost many pieces to hairline fractures or complete collapse in the kiln. There were weeks of failure, which taught me to accept unpredictability as part of the process. Conversely, the most rewarding moment came unexpectedly—when I stitched the final element of the Ojerelok and realized that every material, symbol, and imperfection was now in harmony. The piece wasn’t just beautiful—it was alive with meaning. Another breakthrough was emotional: as I assembled the set, I began to see how my own displaced identity as a Ukrainian-Russian émigré could find reconciliation through this work. I wasn’t just recreating history; I was healing it.
I believe that heritage jewelry can no longer afford to be static or purely decorative. As global crises challenge the meaning of culture, designers must move beyond replication and toward reinterpretation. I hope this work signals a shift toward “critical heritage design,” where the past is not just celebrated but interrogated. My approach encourages designers to treat tradition as a living, adaptable language—one that can speak to environmental concerns, diasporic identity, and feminist critique. I also envision more collaborative and interdisciplinary work in this field, blending historical research with sustainable innovation, community engagement, and even activism. In that sense, the future of heritage jewelry lies in its ability to be uncomfortable, to raise questions, and to act as a form of embodied storytelling rather than ornamental nostalgia.
Balancing authenticity and wearability required rethinking both function and symbolism. The original ojerelok was a multi-strand textile neckpiece worn primarily during rituals, not designed for comfort or durability in modern contexts. My reinterpretation maintains the visual vocabulary—layered cords, woven base, central pendant—but adapts the construction. I used soft cotton cord with a reinforced internal wire structure to maintain shape without weight. Linen canvas was backed with interfacing to provide stability while preserving its organic texture. All components are modular, allowing for partial assembly or full parure display. This flexibility honors the performative aspect of the original while acknowledging today’s need for ease and adaptability. The piece is wearable, but not passive—it invites the wearer to engage in its narrative, almost like putting on a memory.
I was deeply moved by the idea that jewelry once marked transformative life events—becoming a woman, joining a household, bearing a child. In reframing these traditions, I asked: What does coming of age mean today, especially for women in post-Soviet or diasporic communities? My pieces function as rites of passage but on new terms—celebrating autonomy, resilience, and personal myth-making rather than social conformity. Through recycled materials and hybrid forms, I transform these objects into tools for contemporary identity. They invite wearers to invent new rituals while remembering old ones, to celebrate not only where they’re from but who they’ve become.
I hope it serves as a bridge, connecting young designers and audiences to a rich but often overlooked heritage. Many traditional Russian crafts are endangered, not because of a lack of beauty, but due to a lack of relevance. By recontextualizing them through contemporary design language and sustainability, I aim to spark renewed interest and dialogue. I also see this work as a call to action: to decolonize craft history, uplift vernacular traditions, and embrace imperfection and reuse as strengths. If even one student or maker is inspired to see cultural inheritance as a source of innovation, then the work has done its job.